Boiler Breakdown in Chiseldon

On older boilers with a permanent pilot, it can come from a faulty thermocouple, a draught, a partly blocked pilot jet or a gas supply problem. Don't keep relighting it if it won't stay lit. Note how often it happens and call me with the boiler make and rough age.

Check the gas is on at the meter, the programmer is calling for heating and hot water, and the pressure gauge isn't reading low. Look for any code or flashing light on the boiler. If all of that looks normal and nothing heats up, the fault is inside the boiler, so call me.

On Ideal boilers, F1 usually indicates low water pressure. Check the gauge: most sealed systems sit around 1 to 1.5 bar when cold. If it reads below that, tell me the figure, and whether you've seen water around radiators or dripping from a pipe outside, as the pressure has to be going somewhere.

It helps. A boiler service generally looks at the flue, gas pressure, ignition and general condition, and can catch worn parts before they fail. It can't prevent every breakdown, especially sudden electrical faults, but a boiler that has been looked after is generally easier to diagnose and repair. Servicing is a separate job I also carry out.

Not necessarily. Smart controls can lose their Wi-Fi or hub connection while the boiler itself is fine. Check the thermostat or hub has power and is connected, and try turning the heating up using the controls on the wall. If the boiler still won't fire, call me.

After the supply is restored, air can sit in the pipework and stop the boiler lighting at first, and some boilers lock out after several failed attempts. Check your hob lights properly. If the hob works and the boiler still won't fire or shows a lockout code, call me.

Yes. Chiseldon is about 8 miles from Highworth, near Coate, Wroughton and Old Town Swindon, which I also cover. Give me your postcode and say whether you're in the older part of the village or the housing nearer the motorway.

Don't remove the boiler casing, don't try to free a stuck pump or valve, and don't keep restarting the boiler if it locks out again. Don't heat rooms with a gas cooker. Safe checks are limited to the controls, the pressure gauge, the power switch and the gas meter.

Usually not. Many older programmers don't adjust for the clock change, and some lose their settings after a power cut. Reset the time and programme using the manual. If the boiler won't respond to the timer at all once it is set correctly, it could be a wiring or control fault, so call me.

Yes. An electric shower heats its own water from the cold mains supply, so it works independently of the boiler and can make a real difference while you wait for the repair. Mixer showers, though, rely on the boiler's hot water and won't run hot.